It consisted of part of the previous West Somerset division, a two-member constituency which had existed between 1867 and 1885.
The constituency consisted of the western end of the county of Somerset, stretching to the suburbs of Taunton, and was predominantly rural and agricultural.
This was sufficient to swing the constituency to the Liberals in 1885, but at the next election it was won by the Conservatives, and from 1892 their hold was secured by the choice of Sir Alexander Fuller Acland-Hood as their candidate (he being a relative of the Aclands but a Conservative) - after his initial victory in 1892, the Liberals did not even put up a candidate against him at the next three general elections, and he was returned unopposed.
By the time of his elevation to a peerage in 1911, the Wellington division could be regarded as a relatively safe Conservative seat.
The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;